


Star-Crossed

by twitchtipthegnawer



Category: Fae Tales - not_poignant
Genre: Battlefield, Canon-Typical Violence, Fae & Fairies, Kind of a ballad but not really, M/M, Song Lyrics, Tagging this thing is hard as hell, Tragic Romance, it's a metaphor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-02
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-19 16:38:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7369429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/twitchtipthegnawer/pseuds/twitchtipthegnawer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The only thing that came to Gwyn was a song that his soldiers used to sing around the campfire when they were well into their cups. A ballad about a Seelie and Unseelie fae who fell in love on the battlefield, while their swords rang against the other. It was a common enough tune, lending itself to the drunken moments of soldiers wanting something more of romance in their lives. It – like so many of their songs – had a tragic ending."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Seelie

**Author's Note:**

  * For [not_poignant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_poignant/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Game Theory](https://archiveofourown.org/works/915296) by [not_poignant](https://archiveofourown.org/users/not_poignant/pseuds/not_poignant). 



The Seelie crouched before the battle  
amidst the muck and mire.  
They knew not what the day would bring,  
only that it would end in fire.

The cry rang with the rising sun.  
Unseelie howls and screaming,  
and noble Seelie forces charged  
with neither fear nor shaking.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And even the sweetest parts of us,  
cannot change the natures we have fostered.

He saw his foe near his reach,  
sharp teeth and shining steel.  
He raised his sword above his head,  
and it made plate armor peal.

Together clashed their weapons bloody,  
but though they fought and toiled,  
they could not bring the other death.  
Eyes met and bloodlust wandered.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And even the sweetest parts of us,  
cannot change the natures we have fostered.

Seelie saw Unseelie scars.  
Wondered at his talents.  
Thought on the fact that a thousand years,  
had left him without balance.

He found his equal on the field  
listening to the sounds of dying.  
And when their eyes met yet again,  
he found himself not minding.  


Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And even the sweetest parts of us,  
cannot change the natures we have fostered.

Hearts grow strange in blood and gore,  
and the Seelie knew it well.  
He saw hate in his enemy's eyes,  
but felt softness as he fell.

But love cannot grow in salted earth.  
And arrows fell from high above.  
One struck true and Unseelie cried  
for Seelie had not known his love.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And even the sweetest parts of us,  
cannot change the natures we have fostered.

As darkness fell and sun sank down  
and Unseelie mourning came,  
Seelie found his only regret  
lay in not knowing his love's name.


	2. Unseelie

Unseelie watched the stars above  
as they winked out one by one,  
and felt the battle drawing near  
in the singing of their heartsongs, the rising of the sun.

The battle cry broke morning fog,  
and those that fed on death rejoiced.  
He was no different from the others,  
and hoped the battle would not disappoint.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And the most violent parts of us,  
are slow to find themselves altered.

A single Seelie shone the brightest  
to our Unseelie hero.  
He wasn't sure what drew him in,  
but the ringing of their clash could not have rung clearer.

Golden eyes bored hatred into his grey skin,  
and Unseelie found his lips curling,  
not into sneer or angry grimace,  
but into smile, bright and burning.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And the most violent parts of us,  
are slow to find themselves altered.

Fighting wore them down like water.  
Exertion left them near defenseless.  
But still it came as a surprise,  
when Unseelie felt strength flood his senses.

For Unseelie fed on fruitless love,  
something barren on battlefields,  
and yet he knew with dread curled deep  
who had given him his shield.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And the most violent parts of us,  
are slow to find themselves altered.

Despite his growing certainty,  
Unseelie could not land a final blow.  
He found himself wishing for eternal fight,  
found himself feeding on his own woe.

But love cannot grow in salted earth.  
And arrows fell from high above.  
One struck true and Unseelie cried  
for Seelie had not known his love.

Long as the moon and stars have lived,  
the fae have fought and slaughtered.  
And the most violent parts of us,  
are slow to find themselves altered.

Sunset stained the sky sanguine,  
and keen rose in Unseelie throat.  
Not battle cry nor victory,  
but wordless love's tragic note.

**Author's Note:**

> I thought it was odd that, for a story as popular and beloved as Fae Tales is on AO3, no one's done this yet. So, at the risk of conflicting with Pia's vision for the song, I decided to write a few lyrics. I figured it was the least I could do, for the author who helped me to believe that I could be the preferable monster :"") Here's to you not_poignant, for having faith in people who are broken and not sure how to mend. I don't know if I could be where I am today in my recovery, if not for Augus.
> 
> (Chapter two is be the Unseelie version of the song; Augus canonically knows the same set of lyrics that Gwyn knows, but the way that historic songs and tales get twisted depending on where you live fascinates me, and I really want two editions. So.)


End file.
